March 4I Have Told You

John 9:24-29 A second time the Jews summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” 25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” 26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” 28 Then the Jews hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from.”
 
LIGHT overcomes emptiness and confusion. That’s what happened to begin creation. Genesis 1:2-3 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
   See how the Jews are formless and void. They claim, “Give glory to God.” Then they said, “We know this man (Jesus) is a sinner.”  They spoke of God; then they denied and challenged him. They’re as the people we meet who say, “I believe in God.” Then speak a void, formless faith, “I can sin as I please. God will forgive me. God’s rules are old-fashioned. Church membership is unnecessary. We don’t need God’s rules. They restrict us and are hateful.”
   The Jews were also confused about being Moses’ disciples. How could they be Moses’ disciples – ones who learn from a master – and yet deny the Messiah? Apparently, they had not learned the law’s full meaning. Jesus had previously called them to account for their learning in John 5:46 “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.”
   In the Bible’s first five books – the Torah - the law, Moses referred many times to the Savior. For example: Numbers 24:17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Seth.  And learn from Deuteronomy 18:15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. Jesus was also foretold in the story of Joseph, the Passover, the daily manna, the tabernacle lampstand and the pillar of light by night. Prophecies and images of God’s Savior abound in Moses’ words.
   But the Jews blindness seemed to be increasing. Desperately, the spiritual warfare in their souls fought to keep the Light from their eyes.
   The healed man saw the Light. He almost seems to mock the Jews as he asked, “Do you want to become his disciples, too?” But perhaps he was truly offering to them the same gift Jesus had offered to him. Let’s see him as an evangelist saying, “Remove the confusion. The Light is come. Open your eyes to see and be saved.”         As the world often does, the Jews rejected the man’s offer. Confusion kept their hearts dark.
 
Prayer: Is their confusion in my soul, Lord? Open my eyes to be a clear-sighted disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.